South West CANN for Parent/Carers

06/05/2026

Free Wheelchair Skills workshops:
2nd May - Ross-on-Wye
3rd May - Newport, South Wales
4th May - Bristol
10th May - Beverley, East Yorkshire
16th May - West Yorkshire TBC
17th May - Manchester
27th June - Tower Hamlets TBC
28th June - Weybridge, Surrey
3rd - 5th August - Northern Ireland
More to be added! Please share this post & get in touch if you'd like to join us!

06/05/2026

🌟 Training & Workshops from Bringing Us Together
We are delighted to share these fantastic opportunities from Bringing Us Together, offering parent-led workshops and professional training sessions.

For Parents and Carers 🤝
Bringing Us Together delivers parent-led sessions co-designed by people with lived experience. These workshops provide practical strategies and a supportive space to discuss topics such as:
- Advocating for Our Children
- Benefits and Meetings Matter
- Managing Anxiety
- Coping with Assessments, Reviews, and Meetings
- Wellbeing – Breathe and Pause!

For Professionals 🎓
Training is also available for education staff, SENDCOs, social workers, and health professionals. Programs include:
- Partnership with Parent Carers
- When Trust Breaks Down
- Wellbeing of Teams

Delivery Details
Format: All sessions can be delivered online, in person, or as a hybrid model.

Tailored: Sessions can be shaped around the specific needs and priorities of your group or setting.

📧 How to Book:
For information on costs and bookings, please contact Katie directly:
katie@bringingustogether.org.uk

05/05/2026

🌳 Taster Walk & Talk: Well-being and Connection 🌳

We are super excited to offer a one-off Walk & Talk session in collaboration with Carers Support Bristol and South Gloucestershire for the the Bristol Walk Festival!

This group offers carers a wonderful chance to enjoy a gentle stroll through the beautiful green spaces of Oldbury Court in Fishponds. Led by our experienced walk leader and supported by a volunteer, we will come together to soak up the benefits of being in nature and connect with one another.

📅 Event Details
Date: Wednesday 13th May

Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Location: Oldbury Court, Fishponds (BS16)

✨ Good to Know
Inclusivity: The walking route is flat and fully accessible to mobility aids. All walking abilities are very welcome!

Facilities: Parking and toilets are available on-site.

Please Note: This session is for carers only; unfortunately, we are unable to include dependents on this walk.

Taking a moment for yourself in the fresh air can do wonders for your well-being. We’d love for you to join us!

🔗 Find out more and book your place here: walk@carersbsg.org.uk

05/05/2026

✨ GOING GLOBAL with Flamingo Chicks ! ✨

This year, Flamingo Chicks is exploring the places and spaces that make our world so special. With a curriculum designed alongside UNICEF, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, they are bringing global citizenship to life through movement and sensory wonderlands! 🌍💃

There are TWO amazing ways you can get involved this May:

1️⃣ The 24-Hour Dance Festival 💃
It’s back for its third year! Featuring a different dance style every single hour, with dancers aged 1 to 100. It is 24 hours of unstoppable joy!

📅 Starts: Friday 8th May 2026
📍 Where: Bradbury Hall, Henleaze, Bristol
🎟️ Cost: FREE!

Highlights we’d love you to join:
🇮🇪 Friday 4pm: Irish Dancing
🇹🇹 Friday 5pm: Trinidad Carnival
🇮🇳 Friday 6pm: Bollywood
📣 Friday 7pm: American Cheerleading
🎭 Saturday 6am-9am: The Grand Global Finale!

🍰 Call for Bakers! If you can provide cakes or sweet treats to keep our dancers' energy high, we would be so grateful!

2️⃣ Join the Global Dance Film 🎬
Be part of an exciting global performance! Dancers from 17 countries are already signed up, and we want YOU to join them.

How to take part:
1️⃣ Watch the simple choreography (standing & seated versions available).
2️⃣ Pick your favourite move (like the 🦋 butterfly or ❤️ heart).
3️⃣ Film yourself in landscape (solo or with a group!).
4️⃣ Submit your clip by 10th May 2026.

🌍 We are especially looking for more friends from South America to represent! If you have global connections, please spread the word.

👉 Sign up to attend or find choreography here: [Insert Link]
📧 For full details, email Katie at: katie@flamingochicks.org

04/05/2026

🩹 Free First Aid Training for Carers with the British Red Cross 🩹

We are pleased to be joined by the British Red Cross for a free, online first aid training session!

This is a fantastic opportunity for carers to build confidence and learn life-saving skills in a supportive, carer-friendly setting. The training is specifically tailored for carers, focusing on practical situations you may encounter in your everyday caring role.

📅 Event Details
Date: Wednesday 7 May

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Location: Online (via our support group)

✨ Tailored for You
We want this session to be as helpful as possible. If there are specific first aid topics or scenarios you would like the Red Cross trainers to cover, please let us know in advance! They will do their best to include your suggestions in the training.

The session is free to attend and open to all carers joining our online support group.

🔗 Find out more and join the group here: https://www.carersbsg.org.uk/our-support-services/carers-support-groups

02/05/2026

🩹 Free First Aid Training for Carers with the British Red Cross 🩹

We are pleased to be joined by the British Red Cross for a free, online first aid training session!

This is a fantastic opportunity for carers to build confidence and learn life-saving skills in a supportive, carer-friendly setting. The training is specifically tailored for carers, focusing on practical situations you may encounter in your everyday caring role.

📅 Event Details
Date: Wednesday 7 May

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Location: Online (via our support group)

✨ Tailored for You
We want this session to be as helpful as possible. If there are specific first aid topics or scenarios you would like the Red Cross trainers to cover, please let us know in advance! They will do their best to include your suggestions in the training.

The session is free to attend and open to all carers joining our online support group.

🔗 Find out more and join the group here:
https://www.carersbsg.org.uk/our-support-services/carers-support-groups

Join a local or online carers group in Bristol or South Gloucestershire—share experiences, feel supported, and connect.

02/05/2026

💜 Caring Matters 2026 – A Day for Your Health and Wellbeing 💜

As part of Carers Week, Carers Support Bristol and South Gloucestershire is hosting a special, free event dedicated entirely to you. Caring can take a significant toll on your physical and emotional health over time, and this day is designed to give you the space to pause, reflect, and access practical support.

📅 Event Details
Date: Thursday 11 June 2026

Location: Greenway Centre, Southmead

Cost: Completely FREE

✨ What’s on the Programme?
This supportive day includes a variety of sessions tailored to the carer experience:

Practical Advice: Guidance on seeing your GP and creative solutions to make daily caring easier.

Specialist Support: Sessions on dementia and wellbeing.

Personal Resilience: Tools for supporting your own energy and emotional health.

Connection: Time to speak with local organisations and meet other carers.

Relaxation: A gentle, optional yoga session to close the day.

🚌 Travel Information
Bus: The venue is on major routes; Bus numbers 2 and 36 stop close to the Greenway Centre and Southmead Adventure Playground.

Parking: On-site parking is very limited, but there is ample parking just a five-minute walk away.

Taking care of yourself is just as important as the care you provide for others. We’d love to see you there!

🎟️ Book your free place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/caring-matters-free-carers-week-2026-event-tickets-198630838384

01/05/2026

👟 National Junior Para Athletics Championships: Entries Now Open!

The National Junior Para Athletics Championships (NJPAC), organised by Activity Alliance , is returning to the University of Warwick Athletics Track this summer. This event is a fantastic opportunity for both aspiring stars and those just starting their athletics journey to compete in an inclusive and supportive environment.

📅 Event Details

Dates: Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July 2026.

Venue: Coventry Athletics Track, Warwick University, CV4 8AH.

Timings:

Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Sunday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.

🏆 The Competition

The championships feature a full track and field programme with over 60 races and 20 field events.

Track Events: 60m, 100m, 400m, and 800m (Saturday); 200m and 1500m (Sunday).

Age Groups: Under 12s to Open age for track; Under 12s to Under 23s for field.

Classification: Available for athletes both with and without formal classification.

Official Records: The event is licensed by England Athletics, allowing participants to record their times and distances on the Power of 10 website.

📝 How to Enter

The deadline for entries is 5:00 pm on Friday 19 June 2026. Please ensure you review the standards, rules, and procedures before submitting your form.

Individual & Group Entry Forms: Available online via the Activity Alliance website.

Merchandise: Competition hoodies and t-shirts can also be purchased online to commemorate the weekend!

📞 Further Assistance

If you need support with your entry, contact Jamie Blair, Senior Events Officer:

📧 Email: jamie@activityalliance.org.uk
📱 Phone: 07866 921745

30/04/2026

Navigating comments about your visible difference

If you’ve experienced unwanted comments about your visible difference, and you would like guidance on how to handle them, then our free ‘Navigating comments about your visible difference’ webinar during Face Equality Week might be for you. Keep reading to find out all the details.

Join us on Wednesday 13th May at 6.30pm for an honest, supportive conversation. You will hear directly from people with visible differences, gain practical coping strategies, and have the chance to ask your questions live. You will not be onscreen. You will also be able to chat with other attendees who understand what you are going through.

Register for the webinar: https://changingfaces.tfaforms.net/301

30/04/2026

🦸 Calling all Budding Legends! Join Team WheelPower 🦸

Are you ready to find your inner superhero? We are looking for "budding legends" to join Team WheelPower at Dorney Lake for the Superhero Tri Series powered by MARVEL!

This is a fantastic, high-energy triathlon-style challenge that focuses entirely on fun, participation, and building confidence. Whether you want to fly solo or grab your friends and family for a team relay, it is all about getting active and having a "super" day out.

The Details:
📅 Date: Saturday 15 August 2026
📍 Location: Dorney Lake, Windsor
🏁 The Challenge: A mix of swimming, cycling, and pushing/running.

Why join Team WheelPower?
WheelPower has 6 charity places up for grabs! This is the perfect goal to keep you motivated and moving this summer. The course at Eton Dorney is ideal for wheelchair users as it is all on a flat, tarmac surface.

Who can join?
Everyone is welcome! All we ask is that solo entrants, or at least one person in every team, considers themselves to have a disability of any kind. You can walk, wheel, run, or anything in between.

🔗 Find out more and sign up for one of our charity places here: https://www.wheelpower.org.uk/events/superhero-tri-powered-by-marvel/